STORY ZOO AND OUR PASSION FOR
ABOUT US
At Story Zoo, our passion for nurturing a lifelong love of reading has driven us to create an innovative digital platform tailored exclusively for UK primary school children.
Recognising the pivotal role reading plays in a child's educational journey, we've designed Story Zoo to address the unique challenges faced by educators and parents in fostering reading skills and engagement.
With a comprehensive library of over 700 eBooks spanning genres from sci-fi and fairytales to curriculum-aligned history and geography, our platform is uniquely positioned to enrich the learning experience. Developed in collaboration with experienced primary school English teachers, Story Zoo bridges the gap between learning and fun, ensuring each child's reading journey is both educational and enjoyable.
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The team
behind
Behind Story Zoo is a team of industry experts whose combined expertise in web and app development, educational content creation, and graphic design has brought this vision to life.
With an eye for engaging and age- appropriate design, our graphic designer has ensured that every aspect of Story Zoo is inviting and accessible, making it a compelling tool for English language department heads, head teachers, and academy trust decision-makers seeking to elevate their reading programs.
Our developers have a proven track record of building successful digital platforms, while our content is carefully crafted by educators who understand the nuances of teaching reading to young learners.
Story Zoo is not just a reading platform; it's a comprehensive ecosystem designed to cultivate a passion for reading and learning, setting the foundation for a lifetime of success.
MEET ONE OF THE TEAM AT
My name is Sophie Hayes and I’m a qualified primary school teacher with a deep passion for nurturing young minds and fostering a love for reading.
Sophie Hayes
STORY ZOO CO-FOUNDER
With two energetic primary school-aged children of my own, I understand the delicate balance of juggling work, home life, and raising two inquisitive, busy minds!
While teaching a diverse mix of students, I noticed the need for a reading tool that not only simplifies teachers' lives but also captivates and engages young readers. A way of working with synthetic phonic schemes to enhance the range of books students have access to. Instead of allowing reading gaps to develop I was sure there was a way to ensure children were engaged with reading from those very first sounds.
That's how Story Zoo came to be. As a co-founder of Story Zoo, I am proud to introduce a digital reading record designed to revolutionise the way teachers track progress and inspire students to dive into the world of stories. Our platform isn't just about logging reading sessions - it's about sparking a lifelong love of books and teaching children they can be transported into wonderful worlds by simply picking up a book.
Through Story Zoo, I channel my passion for reading and child development into a tangible tool that empowers teachers, ignites imaginations, and transforms the way we approach literacy education. Join me and the rest of our team in this adventure as we embark on a quest to unlock the magic of reading for every child.
Sophie Hayes
A qualified primary school teacher in the London Borough of Bexley and brings a strong foundation in teaching reading and networking, supported by a Bachelor of Arts in Primary Education from UCL. Her role at Story Zoo reflects a commitment to enhancing literacy education through a digital platform that simplifies progress tracking and fosters engagement among young learners.
Debbie Todd
Experienced Senior Partnership Manager with over ten years in the education and edtech sectors, passionate about helping schools harness the power of digital solutions to enhance teaching, learning, and parental engagement. Throughout her career, from Pearson and 3P Learning to Story Zoo and Maths Zoo, she's partnered with hundreds of schools and multi-academy trusts across the UK to identify and implement technology that truly makes a difference in classrooms.
Ben Sansom
Experienced Marketing Director and serial entrepreneur with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry as well as founding several successful startups. More recently, investing in new technology startups in various fields with a focus on EdTech.
Matt Earl
Qualified primary school teacher with over ten years of classroom experience and many years leading teams in customer success management. After a decade in schools, including leading phonics in KS1 and helping achieve fantastic SATs results in KS2, he decided to combine his two passions: education and supporting people. That's what led him to his role here at Story Zoo!
Alistair Dodds
A Product Strategist and Digital Delivery Specialist with over 20 years' experience leading startup innovation across AI, Web3, edtech, and fintech. He has led projects involving global brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Venmo, and Sony, as well as elite sports and entertainment clients, including Premier League footballers, First Access Sports, and top-tier music artists.
Catherine Oswin-Wilde
A highly experienced and driven Business Development Manager motivated by continued professional development to complement a tenacious and highly organised professional character. Thriving on the sales challenges of building trust and credibility, whilst honestly and consultatively offering solutions that both challenge customers' thinking and promote best practice and new sales areas for discussion.
Claire Hindes
Hands-on creative lead with 20+ years of experience shaping brands and designing across digital, print, and web. She's partnered with start-ups through to global names, producing work for Red Bull Racing, Anthony Joshua, Johnson & Johnson, NHS, PLT, Octavia, Fox International, and First Access Sports, helping them stand out, tell their story, and grow.
Peter Sansom
Over the last 30+ years, he's built and scaled businesses across property development and technology ventures, and advised companies through transformation and growth. Today, he focuses on advisory and non-executive roles, where he brings a mix of hands-on experience and strategic oversight to help leadership teams.
Dylan Price
Spent over a decade in primary classrooms, leading maths along the way. Today he splits his time between Story Zoo, Maths Zoo, Teach Sleep Repeat podcast, and Top Dog Tutoring. He's passionate about helping pupils thrive, supporting teachers, and building creative, teacher-led solutions outside the system.
Hayden Stevens
Primary school teacher of 10 years now building products and platforms that serve schools, teachers and families. He co-hosts Teach Sleep Repeat, a leading UK education podcast, and co- founded Top Dog Tutoring, a fast-growing group tuition business. Now involved in Story Zoo and developing MathsZoo: a curriculum-led, mathematics platform to improve primary arithmetic in a way that's genuinely engaging, nuanced and effective.
Book your FREE,
no strings demo now!